January « 2007 « PINAY FRANCOPHILE

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Paris is a safe city

Alan and I have never had any bad experiences in Paris — although someone we know came home with horror stories of losing her purse including her passport at the airport upon arrival, and their horror and wrong presumption that they were mistreated by the Gendarme or Police when they reported the theft because they carried an American passport (although they were Filipinos). They said that the policemen didn’t seem to want to deal with them and had passed them off to someone else.

I have been to Paris only twice but I have had no experience of brush ins or what not. I have found the French to be generally efficient — perhaps not overly friendly — but they do what they do with a certain cadence that is neither slow nor fast. Things get done. I ventured outside of Paris by train alone, got lost in this tiny village of Chartres with its winding tiny roads — and I got back to Paris in one piece, enriched by this experience. I spoke no French except Excuse moi and Merci, but I found my way around and did what I had hoped to do.

As to the seeming reluctance of the police to deal with those holding the American passport, I have a simple explanation. English is not as widely spoken there (or anywhere in Europe for that matter), for the simple reason that the common language in this part of the world is French and German. I have discovered in my forays around the country as a tourist that their reluctance or refusal to help is not so much because they perceive one to be American (because I don’t look like one definitely), but rather because they do not speak English.

I have gone around with my messenger bag and my backpack. I never lost anything. This is not to say that there are no undesirable elements in this or any European country. But I have been blessed to have had no such issues, and same with Alan who is there at least twice a year. And I don’t think I’ll have any such problems when we return, whenever that may be.

Posted by PINAY NEW YORKER at 18:17:27 | Permalink | No Comments »

Friday, January 12, 2007

Scrapbook Update

I am more than halfway through with the scrapbook layouts of Versailles and am now beginning the portion devoted to my day trip to Chartres. I cannot help but feel like those pictures were taken just last week — although it’s been almost two months since my last trip to France. So I’m pretty good with the “Wish I could go back to Paris” bit. I think I have enough “Paris juice” in me not to make me pine to go back for another six months or even a year. After all, it took more than a year between the first and second trips to the city of lights. (First in Feb 2005, then Nov 2006.)

My scrapbook is becoming tome-sized with its 12×12 layout — 12×24 for a full spread. I have many enlarged pictures, particularly of the scenery, and I make no apologies for such huge pictures if only because there is so much detail in the pictures I wouldn’t want to be overlooked if I printed the pictures in ordinary or regular size.

I’ve been journaling extensively as well, finding new use for the paint swatches/chips I collected from the home improvement stores we had visited the last couple of months. That plus my fine Sharpies (including a silver one) would make for a personalized touch. The pictures have a lot of stories to tell and I want to capture the memory before it fades.

I hope to upload the Versailles pictures over the weekend if I can find the time to do so, and I might try taking pictures of my scrapbook layouts instead of converting the computer files into graphics. In between, I might get to spend some time trying to learn French. I just might find the time..

Posted by PINAY NEW YORKER at 04:34:35 | Permalink | No Comments »

Sunday, January 7, 2007

The Chapel of our Lady of the Miraculous Medal in Paris

	I emerged from the Rue du Bac Metro station here. After walking out the Metro, you just have to find the Rue du Bac street sign and walk into it. Coming up the stairs, it’s to your right. The Shrine’s website will advise you to take this Metro stop but it would be easier to head for the Rue de Sevres station and then find Rue du Bac from there. If you choose the Rue de Sevres route, your landmark is Le Bon Marche. Rue du Bac is the street separating it’s two corners.
	It’s quite a walk from the Rue de Bac Metro Station to this point. (Probably a walk under 10 minutes.) The shrine’s entrance is on the right side. Unlike most Churches, you will not find a courtyard or a steeple visible from the street. Rue du Bac itself is a two-lane street so you don’t have much of a line of sight and have to watch out for this entrance way. I visited the shrine on my own because Alan had started working in the home office already when I went. I just had to find it.
	This is the overpass between the two buildings of Le Bon Marche on either side of Rue du Bac. Once it’s visible, keep looking to your right where the Chapel is. If you walk past this, you missed the entrance. You will pass many stores and other establishments walking the length of Rue du Bac. The hustle and bustle near Le Bon Marche, however, is more frenetic, so you would know you missed it once you hit major street traffic.

	There is an information center on the right side once you enter the premises. There are sisters who will be willing to help you out with any questions. In fact when I was there, there was even a Filipino nun whom I greeted with “Kamusta po?”, although it was a different nun who attended to me in another window. Various literature, from the history of the apparitions, the life of St. Catherine, how to pray the rosary, etc., are available for free.
	This is the entrance to the Chapelle which is closed when a mass is going on. Your best chance to participate in the Eucharistic celebration is to go up the tribune instead, whose entrance is on the other side across the way.
	This is the directional sign to the higher levels of the chapel. Walk up and you have a choice of the second or third level.
	Be careful not to trip on the way up. The door to the second level was already closed when I went up and there are guides who will tell you if you can still go in. Otherwise, you have the third level where I went.
	This is a view from the third floor. It’s a relatively small chapel and very new, but you are almost sure to see only Catholics here as it is a pilgrimage destination and not exactly a tourist spot. Given the miracle of St. Catherine Labour and her visions of the Blessed Virgin, you have to be a believer to make this a stop. I was fortunate enough to have caught the midday mass.
	This is the entrance to the Chapelle which is closed when a mass is going on. Your best chance to participate in the Eucharistic celebration is to go up the tribune instead, whose entrance is on the other side across the way.
	After the mass, I went down to the second level and took this picture. Only the center portion directly in front of the altar is open to the public. The seating on the sides is controlled and presumably open only during Sundays or holy days of obligation.
	Another shot from the second level showing the upper third level where I took the pictures looking down.

	Finally, I made my way down to the main level. It’s a solemn atmosphere although the faithful also take pictures. You feel the solemnity of the place and there is enough room to make your way to the altar where two saints lie in perpetual repose. On the right side where I was was the glass coffin housing the remains of St. Catherine whose body did not decompose.
	This is the side altar on the right side.

	A shot of the main altar from the righthand side. Postcards, literature and other religious items such as the medal in different sizes and quantities are available from a store just outside the chapel. There is even a portion which is essentially operated on an “honor system”. You get what you want and just drop your payment in a box.
	Walking away from the shrine, this is what you will see as you walk away from the Chapel and onto the Rue de Sevres. You really have to seek it out because it’s tucked away in its tiny corner.

Posted by PINAY NEW YORKER at 17:25:25 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Friday, January 5, 2007

The Louvre in Pictures

While I would’ve loved to show you the scrapbook layouts, it has been cumbersome converting the graphic layouts into jpegs, and I was so disappointed to see the files being compressed beyond recognition. So let me share with you the pictures we took by photo albums.

As always, you can rest your mouse on the photos to read the caption/header, or click on any of the thumbnails to view the picture in a larger format on the friendster photo album where the pictures have been uploaded to.

Enjoy!